Until now billiard tables and pocket pool tables have required a skilled or trained installer/mechanic to put the bed and rail cloth on the table. One of the main skills required is to pull the cloth to the correct tension on as it lies on the table and rail surface. Conventionally, this tensioning step is achieved by securing the cloth to one end or side of the table bed with staples, glue, or feather strips on rails, then pulling the cloth to the opposite end or side. The main consideration is for the amount of stretch the cloth must have to place the cloth under correct tension for the table's playing surfaces, and the amount of stretch may depend on certain factors, such as the type of cloth material. This method is repeated for the two opposite sides and all six rails.
When installing the bed and rail cloth the cloth must be cut at the pocket openings. This is necessary on pocket pool tables, to allow for entry of balls into pockets and for angles on rail ends. Then the cloth is cut into tabs or small sections that are secured to the table by means of staples or glue.
The installer/mechanic performs all of these steps using his or her best judgment as to the correct tension of the cloth on the table when stretching, and as to where the tabs in the cloth must be cut at the pocket openings and rail ends. Determining the correct cloth tension and making accurate cuts require installer expertise, and can consume considerable time.
Therefore, a covering system that aids the installer in applying the appropriate tension to the cloth, and positioning the cuts for the pocket openings and rail ends, is desirable. A method for using such a system is likewise desirable.